A Time To Remember, A Place To Forget
by Minimum Effort
Summary: The Hunter heads down into the Resourceful Rat's Lair, expecting a normal fight. However, what ensues next is beyond what she and the other Gungeoneers would've ever expected.
1. Chapter 1: Forboding Halls

The Hunter's footsteps fell silently, kicking up dust around her feet as she walked through the Rat's maze. She had already been here before, multiple times. However, this time was different. The rooms were empty, save for barrels, explosives, and the occasional rat with a candle on its head. Harsh light peered in through an open roof, scattered around in jagged patterns. As the Hunter walked into the Rat's Foyer room, there was a disproportionate amount of health and ammo available. 12 Red Ammo Crates, and 4 Green ones, scattered around 6 full hearts. The Hunter quickly checked her guns, though there was enough ammo in the room for plenty of weapons. She reloaded her Shell and Bullet with a Red crate, then her empty Regular Shotgun with a Green. Through her list, she went. Alien Sidearm, Composite Gun, Fightsabre, and Yari Launcher. Not to mention her Rusty Sidearm and Crossbow. She was glad to have her Backpack, holding the Big Boy and the Jetpack. Her trusty dog barked at her side, pawing at her SpringHeel Boots. Now prepared, she enters to face the Resourceful Rat.


	2. Chapter 2: Confrontation

The Hunter stepped through the ominous doorway, and found the Resourceful Rat atop his throne of Ammo. He shot a vile glare at the Hunter, but not of anger. It was shot with disgust, for the Hunter returning for the umpteenth time.

"What do you want now? Revenge? Forgiveness? Are you not contempt to defeat me once and leave me be?"

The Hunter began to contemplate the reason she came back to the Rat. Was it to kill him again, to steal his loot, or for some other reason? Before she could come to an answer, her armor was broken by the Rat throwing a precise Kunai at her. She quickly fell out of her trance, and sprung into action! Shell and Bullet in hand, she splayed as much gun as she could into the attacker! He moves quick, firing cheese at the Gungeoneer before launching more knives at her! She switches to her Fightsabre, and starts a flurry of light, blocking the incoming projectiles! Before much longer, she switches to the Yari Launcher, barraging the rodent with an insurmountable count of missiles. He can't take much more of it, falling down the opened grate. The Hunter gives chase, following him down to the Metal Gear.

"Is this going to be simply another fight for you, as you leave my corpse to rot in my own lair after your victory? I do not pretend to have a chance at life, what with your determination for wanton destruction."

The Metal Gear roared to life, it's visage of a rat becoming clear with new light.

"EN GARDE!"


	3. Chapter 3: Have a Heart

The Hunter wasted no time getting to action, and neither did the Rat. The Rat launched several missiles into the area, and the Hunter responded with her own. Blow after blow, hit after hit, the Rat and the Hunter shared shot for shot. With one heart left, and a sliver of health for the Rat left, she pulled out her Shotgun and charged at the Rat's Metal Gear. She climbed the legs, and stood in the jaw of the cockpit, leveling her Shotgun to the Rat's chest. She fires, and the two teleport to atop the Metal Gear. With a weak pant, the Rat stands up and looks to the Hunter.

"You've never done that before... and I bet you'll never do it again."

He mutters to himself.

"Better make this one count..."

The two fighters raised their fists, and prepared to brawl.

The Hunter gave the first swing, hitting hard with a right hook. The Rat was unprepared, and took the fist to the jaw. He wipes his mouth, and goes for a swing, but the Hunter dodged it. She hurls her fists at the Rat, landing blow after blow into his chest and chin. The Rat glows gold for a flash of a second, and the Hunter swings, hitting him. After a moment, the Rat appears unguarded, and the Hunter delivers an extreme punch to his jaw. Two keys come flying from his satchel, along with a medkit and an AKey-47. The Rat swings with Casey, and misses. The fight continues, as the Hunter methodically bashes out more golden keys from the imposing rodent. Now on the losing end of this fight, the Rat lashes his tail at the Hunter. She blocks, feeling the harsh sting on her forearms. She continues to punch the Rat, catching the golden flash three times. In one devisive punch, the Hunter knocks four golden keys, along with a Black Hole Gun, two GunKnight Armor pieces, and four Glass Guon Stones, out of the Rat. He's sent flying off the Metal Gear, and she climbs down. She grabs the medkit, and walks over to the Rat.

He coughs harshly, his voice shaky.

"So... once again, the valiant hero defeats the thieving Rat..."

He breathes in, his voice raspy from wounds.

"I shoud've known... you, and the rest of your kind, are merciless in your desires... I feel myself parting once again..."

The Hunter used her medkit on the Rat, healing him to the point of survival. He breathes in quickly, surprised at the human's generosity.

"You... you saved me. Why?"

The Hunter softly smiled at the Rat.

"I thought about everything that you've said, especially your past. You were dealt a bad hand, and the Gungeon's the way to fix that. Why not let you fix your past?"

The Rat softly chuckled to himself.

"I'm still surprised... I guess it's because no one has been this kind to me, at all."

The Hunter smiled again, and helped the Rat up.

"Come on, we have work to do."


	4. Chapter 4: Restock and Reload

The Hunter combed through the dropped loot, healing herself back to 6 full hearts from one full heart, and picking up all the dropped items. She sorts through it, and gives the GunKnight Armor to the Rat. Now with a new AKey-47 and Black Hole, she gathers the Guons and gives the spare health to the Rat. All he currently has is Casey.

"We need to grab my gear again, it's down there."

The two, having gathered all the available loot, hop down the hole in the floor. The Hunter pops a blank, and opens the four Chests. The Rat takes the opportunity to heal himself a little more with the Heart on a Podium, bringing himself to 2 Hearts out of 5. He grabs his sack, his Elimenater, his Cheese Wheel, and his boots.

"There, much better."

The Hunter lobs the four Guon stones through the second locked door, having opened the first. They all reach the sleeping Serpent, and it flies through the door to join the Hunter. The Hunter restocks on Ammo and grabs a couple of keys from the Podiums in the loot room.

"So, fourth floor, or fifth?"

The Rat looks confused for a minute.

"Aren't you the one leading this expedition?"

The Hunter sighs, and simply walks over to the fourth floor elevator, calling for the Rat to join her.

"If it's all the same to you, I'd much rather have more loot."

The Hunter taps her foot, waiting for the Rat. She counts her 3 keys and 96 Shells she's picked up over the run. The Rat's footsteps quickly approach the Hunter, and they both step into the bullet elevator.

"Took you long enough."

"Well, don't mind me relishing the fact that I'm alive at this point. You have any idea how many times that walking Bullet put me down?"

"...No, not really."

The Rat stays quiet, as the Bullet Elevator tunnels it's way to the Hollow.

Eventually, the two land hard into the new ground, and the metallic doors open up. They walk out, and feel the stinging cold lash against their skin, the Rat recoiling as he steps on ice. Collecting themselves, they prepare to brave the cold and undead floor of the Gungeon.


	5. Chapter 5: Trust

The Hunter and the Rat stilled themselves, simply listening to the chilling howls of Spent echoing through walls. They both took a moment to themselves, wondering where to go next. Noticing that the Rat essentially only had a bat and a gun made of cheese, she gave him the AKey-47 she won from him.

"Thanks for that. As if I need a reminder of how bad you kicked my ass." The Rat scoffed. The Hunter sighed, looking towards him.

"Look, even if I did beat it out of you, I'm giving it back to you so you're not stuck swinging a baseball bat and your gun made of cheese-"

"Elimentaler."

The Hunter stops in her words, looking both surprised and confused. "What?"

The Rat gave a dry response, staring at her. "You heard me, Elimentaler. That's its name."

The Hunter scoffs, returning to her selection of firearms. "Could've told me sooner."

The Rat sighed, simply getting up and leaning against a door. It wouldn't budge. "Hey, I need you here to break this door. Apparently it only lets us through if we're going through all this together."

The Hunter sighed, getting up against the door with him. "I'm beginning to wonder why I saved you."

The Rat responded, "I'm thinking the same thing."

Still locked, the Hunter and Rat braced their shoulders, before charging against the door, slamming against it and busting it wide open. As they moved into the room, multiple Bullet Kin and a Shelleton begin taking aim, wasting no time in targeting the Gungeoneers. The Hunter and Rat quickly dogde roll into a pillar, taking cover and readying weapons.

Charging out with the Fightsabre and AKey-47, the two begin mopping up the Kin, before the Shelleton bears down onto the two of them, sending shell after shell towards them. After concentrating fire on him, the Rat and the Hunter blast the Shelleton's skull into fine golden dust. They both sigh in relief, in part their new friend not putting a bullet into each other's back.

The Rat in particular chuckles, shaking himself off of shards of ice. "Is this what you Gungeoneers do day in-day out?" Being met with only a nod, the Rat chuckles again. "Color me impressed..."

After firing through many more equally trying rooms, the two collapse through the Shop door, with significantly more bullet wounds than when they entered the floor. Upon seeing the Rat, Bello the Shopkeep almost immediately raised his shotgun. "Huntress, you better have a damn good reason for letting that damn thief into my shop!"

Visibly panicked, the Hunter got up and ran towards Bello, waving her arms and standing in front of his Shotgun. "Bello! Don't shoot, he's had a change of heart!"

The Rat, standing up slowly, calmly approaches Bello with raised and open hands, wanting to prove to him that he has changed. "I know we've had our differences, Bello, but I want to change for the better now... I'm going to reach into my pocket, and give you some shells for a Key."

Slowly, the Rat gave the 40 shells necessary to buy a key, leaving them on the counter and taking the Key. With a death stare, Bello stared down the Rat. Upon completing the transaction, Bello lowered his shotgun, sighing. "You truly are a changed rat-man thing."

The Rat simply scoffed, dryly speaking, "Thanks, the change has been tough for me too." The Hunter couldn't help giving a chuckle.


End file.
